


Cease the Day

by Firekitten



Category: RWBY
Genre: Also mentions of child abuse and neglect, Especially for Tai and Qrow because we need more in the world, Gen, Lots of friendshipness, so beware of that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 06:34:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14538765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firekitten/pseuds/Firekitten
Summary: They say one’s semblance represents a defining aspect of one’s character. Tai wasn’t sure what his was supposed to represent, but he was determined to keep it hidden forever. And he would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for Professor Goodwitch and her meddling lessons. [A team STRQ friendship story, focused primarily between Tai and Qrow, because we need more out there]





	Cease the Day

He folded the sheet of paper one last time, tucking the last side into the corner until it was a solid triangle shape. He picked up his pen, putting the finishing touches on his paper football as he scrawled something across it, before looking down the curved surface that made up their lecture hall desk where the rest of his team sat. Beside him, Raven had her chin in her hand, the dim look in her eyes telling him she had tuned out a long time ago. Next to her, Summer had placed her notebook in her lap, the guise of a good student taking notes while he knew she was actually finishing up her history report. Qrow was the only one who seemed to be enraptured, though it was definitely not Professor Goodwitch’s lesson he was paying attention to.

As for himself, Taiyang had only heard snatches of the lecture while the young woman paced around what was normally Professor Peach’s classroom. Glynda was a TA, which allowed her to have control over one session every month as practice for her future career. She wasn’t really bad at it, per say, she just chose such odd subjects to talk about. All he had to hear was how “Aura Merging was still an extremely unknown and untested practice that rarely worked between huntsmen” to stop listening. If it wasn’t going to have any practical application, then why bother?

“Psst.”

The noise caught Raven’s attention and as she glanced at him, Tai held up the football, making a few motions towards her brother. Understanding what he was up to, she lent back, a playful smirk dancing along her face. Tai balanced his paper model on the desk, curling his finger behind it as he took aim and flicked it across the desk, Summer glancing up as it sailed past, and – _Bullseye!_   It smacked Qrow right in the face.

He and the girls snickered quietly while the dark-haired huntsmen jerked out of his dreamy trance, a little indignant as he picked up the football and turned it around to read the message ‘Lecherous Leopard’ Tai had written on it. Qrow mouthed the words “Oh really?” back at him before writing something on the other side and flicking it back. Tai caught it, turning it over and raising his eyebrows at ‘Prudish Pig’ written out in his friend’s awful chicken scratch. He added ‘Jerkish Jackal’ before sending it on over.

Within a few kickoffs, they had run out of room for insults and were just making a game of it, trying to aim through finger goalposts. The girls mostly ignored them, though on one sail across, Raven made a mini portal that ended up opening up to Summer, football hitting her in the back of the head.

“You-” Their leader hissed, raising her notebook up threateningly towards her best friend.

_BANG!_

They all jumped when Professor Goodwitch’s riding crop hit the center of their desk, her smile wickedly cheerful. “Team STRQ, so good of you to volunteer!”

“Huh?!” All four of them echoed.

Five minutes later found them standing in front of the classroom, two chairs set facing each other before them. Raven and Qrow were leaning back against the teacher’s desk, the latter grinning ruefully up at the gawking classmates. Standing to the side of them, Tai glanced back when he heard some shuffling, smiling sympathetically at Summer who was trying to hide from the staring eyes behind his broad frame. She had never liked being the center of attention.

“As you are all third-year students, I’m certain you’re all proficient at aura greeting, correct?” Glynda asked, tapping her riding crop in one hand.

“Of course.” It was Raven who answered for them, hand resting on her left hip where her sword usually was. “Qrow and I knew how to do that before we even got to Beacon.”

“Well then,” She motioned to the chairs. “How about you two try aura merging first then?” The twins shared a look, shrugged, and pushed off from the desk to instead take a seat. “Start with greeting, but when you hit that wall, try pushing past it.”

“Not sure how good of an idea that is teach.” Qrow said even as he and Raven laid their hands together as if they were preparing to play a game of slaps.

“Don’t worry, you’ll know quickly if your auras aren’t compatible.”

“That’s not ominous at all.” He snarked, just having to be obstinate to the last second. He recoiled a little when the riding crop smacked the back of his chair.

“Focus!”

“Right, right.” He huffed at the smug grin his sister was giving him as she shut her eyes. After a few moments, he followed her example.

It didn’t take long for the two to activate their auras, both of their bodies being outlined in a familiar red glow. Tai felt a dainty hand on his arm, Summer poking past him to watch. Silence pressed in as nothing seemed to happen at first, the twins’ foreheads both furrowing as they likely hit the ‘wall’ Glynda meant and tried to figure out how to move past it.

He guessed Raven probably tried first, because all at once her aura flared bright red and Qrow was jerking his hands back. “Okay, no!”

Raven opened one eye. “Problem?” She didn’t flinch at the scowl he sent her way.

“What did it feel like?” The professor asked.

“It felt like she was trying to throw me over a cliff or something.” He grumbled, getting to his feet and rolling his shoulders.

“I didn’t really feel anything.” His sister said.

“Interesting. Well, you two are definitely not a match.” She turned to them. “Which of you wants to try next?”

“I’ll give it a shot with Rae.” Summer said, surprisingly bold as she walked forward.

As she and Qrow switched places, Tai glanced at his friend, seeing the uneasy way he rubbed at his skin, and murmured, “You alright?”

“Yeah. I don’t think people are supposed to do this though.”

He couldn’t think of an answer before the red and silver glows drew his attention back to the girls. They both looked at ease, Summer with an ever-present smile and Raven in a rare state of relaxation and though he’d only seen them do this a few times before, Tai was always hit by how beautiful they looked. And as he kept his eyes on them, he noticed something he couldn’t before as they continued the exercise. Where their hands were joined, their auras seemed to seep off of their own skin and reach for the other’s, silver blending into red and red dying silver.

But there was another flare and Summer was jerking back with a yelp, almost toppling out of her seat. “You bit me!”

Raven stared at the other dubiously as she deadpanned, “What?”

“W-Well, it felt like you did.” She corrected, her cheeks pinkening as some of the watching students laughed.

Their professor in training gave a thoughtful hum, eyeing between the two before saying, “Taiyang, why don’t you try with Raven?”

“Uh,” He shot his most murder-happy teammate a nervous look, “I’m not sure I want to.”

“Scared?” The elder twin asked.

“Of you? Always.” Still, Tai had some manly pride as he sat down next, laying his hands flat over Raven’s.

It felt a bit ironic to be trying this with the same person who had taught him how to Aura Greet in the first place. Being able to press one’s aura onto another’s had a lot of practical applications, including rousing someone from a daze or even unconsciousness – if it was safe to do so – and sparking someone’s shielding back to life if it faltered unexpectedly during battle. Most important was with children though; most young kids didn’t have a lot of control over their auras, so if they were badly injured, theirs would sometimes get unstable. It was often fatal if left unchecked. Since huntsmen tended to have stronger auras, greeting with kids helped steady theirs until professional help could arrive.

It had been a requirement to be able to do it successfully with each of their teammates to pass their Health exams last year, but he had been the only one who didn’t know how to do it. So, Raven had opted to show him how, spending several nights sitting with him on her bed, calmly explaining the steps and trying it with him. As he’d learned how to do it, he found the feeling was unique from person to person.

And, as his gold aura blanketed over hers and hers pressed back, he found it was the same as it always was. With her, it felt like she had walked into the room and decided to shove him, her aura as playfully brash as she was and maybe a little too dominate, because the push was just a little too hard, sending him stumbling. In return, he reached out and grabbed hold of her, keeping his grip, not wanting to let go. This was usually where it ended, his aura clutching hers and hers trying to knock him down, yet it never felt wrong. Were she his girlfriend even, he would have said it was like they were teasing one another.

But, as he focused on the feeling between them and tried to hold her a little tighter than usual, that’s when Raven tackled him.

Tai jerked back with a gasp, the ends of his fingers aching like they had been burned. He looked down at them, seeing the pads looked fine but the pain was still there. Suddenly, he understood what Qrow had meant. It was like Raven had gotten right under his aura and _attacked_ him. He gave her a disgruntled frown. “That hurt!”

“Don’t whine. You’ve had worse.” She said, but from the way she lent back and crossed her arms almost protectively, he guessed the feeling hadn’t been any better for her.

He opened his mouth, intending to apologize, but before he could their professor cut in, “It’s not supposed to hurt. Though, it’s possible Raven’s aura is too defensive.”

Qrow snorted in amusement. “Well that would be appropriate.”

Glynda gave the teenager an exasperated glance, then said, “Summer, why don’t you try with Taiyang this time?”

“Okay.” She agreed and as she walked past Raven, she offered the other girl a comforting pat on the arm.

Tai smiled uncertainly at Summer when she was across from him which she returned, also nervous. Of all of his teammates, it was ironically his leader’s that had always felt the most uncomfortable to him and as they placed their hands together he quickly remembered why. If he had to say what it reflected of Summer, it was probably strength. She had always been an amazing fighter, impressing even the twins when she ran rings around all three of them in sparring matches which earned her their respect as their leader. He’d never even come close to beating her in a match; and that’s what her aura was like – unsurpassably powerful. There was a tingly, almost ticklish sensation that buzzed over his skin, as if the silver aura had an electric element to it that wasn’t supposed to be there. It was hard enough not to pull away from her just from a greeting; but when she pushed further, the sensation turned and he could have sworn something awful slithered down his throat.

They both pulled away, a hard shudder raking down his spine. Summer was rubbing her arms, shivering like she was cold and announced, “That felt terrible.”

“Yep.” He agreed, swallowing down the nauseous feeling. He didn’t really want to try that again. Ever.

But he knew he was going to have to when Professor Goodwitch turned on Qrow. “You’re up once more, Mr. Branwen. Taiyang and then Summer.”

He didn’t move, eyeing his two friends warily. “I dunno teach, doesn’t seem like this is going anywhere. Maybe time to call it quits?”

“Perhaps.” She tapped her riding crop in her hand again. “Perhaps I should also give you all detention for disrupting my class.”

“I’m uh, gonna go sit down now.” He said, thumbing towards the chair, quickly taking it the moment Summer vacated it.

Qrow shrugged helplessly at him as if to say ‘Well, I tried’ before holding out his hands. Tai hesitated to follow – but well, how bad could it be? Qrow’s aura had always been the gentlest to his. Even when it did decide to reject his own, it probably wouldn’t be as bad as it was with the girls; and then, he’d be done with this awful experiment. So, he exhaled softly and sealed his fate, placing his hands down.

Glimmers of gold and red flickered behind his eyelids, and soon the sensation of a hand resting against his shoulder blades was there. He had joked about it the first time he’d explained it, saying something along the lines of how he knew his best friend always had his back. In return, his own aura wrapped amicably over the other’s shoulders. It was a feeling he couldn’t help but relax in and it made him wonder if he looked as at peace as Raven did with Summer.

He was so content, he forgot momentarily what they were doing until it seemed like another hand was joining the first at his back, tugging him forward. He furrowed his eyebrows some, letting his aura nudge back. He heard snickers, Qrow’s fingers twitching some as he let his aura continue to prod at him. If Tai didn’t know better, he’d say he was purposely trying to irritate him. He huffed, fighting down the urge to scratch at his back as he reached out again and _pulled_.

The second it happened, the unfamiliar presence, not unpleasant just unexpected and just suddenly _there,_ caused a knee-jerk reaction to pull away. But when he felt Qrow trying to do the same, irrational panic flooded him and Tai found himself lurching forward instead, hands curling tightly around the other’s thin wrists. It took him a few moments to realize an equally iron grip had closed over his own.

“Whoa!”

“How cool!”

“Look at them!”

He opened his eyes, seeing Qrow was already staring back, wide-eyed. On a level he couldn’t even formulate words for, Tai could already sense every bit of emotion his friend was feeling right now: shock, fear, amazement, confusion, a little bit of satisfaction that he bet came from being able to do something his sister couldn’t, and finally happiness. And like he knew his right foot had a left, he knew Qrow was feeling everything he was too.

He felt so overcome, the fact that their auras had changed to the same shade of fiery orange was more like an afterthought than a cool detail to absorb.

“How do you feel boys?” Professor Goodwitch asked.

“Not sure I can find a way to explain that.” Qrow replied. Tai nodded in wordless agreement.

“No pain?”

“Nah.” His partner said first.

Tai continued, “It’s weird but.”

“Good.”

“Yeah.”

A pause then, “Are we finishing-”

“-each other sentences? Pretty much.” The absurdity only seemed to rise and it was quickly becoming hard to understand whose feelings were whose when a few moments ago the line had still been there. That’s when one of them became alarmed and the internal conflict roiled through them.

Were they going to be able to come apart? Did they want to?

Would it hurt? Would it make them go crazy? Would it _kill them_?

Okay no, that was dumb. They weren’t weak or anything.

Wait.

That last thought was definitely Qrow. …Wasn’t it?

They just had to calm down, then they’d figure this out.

Yeah, that was Tai. Always being the reasonable stick-in-the-mud.

Shut up Qrow.

Okay. So, they were still here. It was just a little too much here.

Take a few deep breathes.

Count to ten.

Then try and come apart.

“Guys?” They saw Summer move in the corner of their eyes, reacting to the distress plastered all over their faces. But as she did, her hand which had been resting on the desk, swiped out too far and knocked over one of Professor Peach’s prized crystal squirrel figurines. It shattered all over the floor.

When the guilt bled in, it felt almost crushing as dual thoughts hit them.

_That was my fault._

_I should have stopped that._

_Wait, what? No, I couldn’t have. I have no control-_

And, as sharp as a whip cracking between them, suddenly they weren’t they again, because Qrow was drawing back. Tai felt the vestiges of his feelings, almost too fast for him to process, as ignorance turned to sharp clarity and then it was hurt, anger, _betrayal_ -

The pain lashed harshly between them when Qrow tore out of his grip. Their auras ripped apart with a sensation akin to tugging off a full-body band-aid and left every bit of him searing and breathless. And terrified. 

Especially when his best friend, despite likely feeling the same agony, was already on his feet and storming away, face twisted with rage.

“Qrow!” Tai lunged for him, hand clasping around his shoulder. “Wait, I-”

The right hook to his face knocked him down flat, one of the chairs snapping underneath him when it failed to break his fall. There was a cacophony of surprised cries from several students, Summer’s being the loudest. He wasn’t really sure what shocked him more: that Qrow had punched him or that he had done so with as much skill as a pro would have, despite not having a shred of hand-to-hand combat experience. It was as if Tai had just punched _himself_.

Which, he deserved. Definitely. Or maybe that was Qrow’s guilt talking. Just like it sounded more like Qrow’s voice sending strings of frantic curse words through his mind rather than his regular mantra of unending ‘No-no-no’. He’d worry later about how long the aftereffects of the merge would last, because his friend was already gone.

Tai stumbled to his feet and tore after him, ignoring his other teammates’ and his professor’s calls, and sprinted down the hall after the slim form rapidly disappearing around the corner. “QROW!”

He barely made it around the same one when a red and black portal was opening up in front of him. He had to slide to a stop, staggering back as Raven walked out of it, crimson eyes blazing as they zeroed in on him. “ _What did you do?"_

Despite his prior joke, she really could be quite scary when she wanted to be.

“Rae, calm down.” Summer advised, not seeming to mind the way she was being yanked along. She turned to him. “Tai, are you alright?”

“I, no.” He ran his aching hands through his hair, gripping fistfuls of his locks in a tight grip, stress threatening to make him breakdown. This wasn’t how this was supposed to happen. It was never supposed to happen. He had to find Qrow. No, he had to run away. Fuck, he at least had to tell them first. And when they knew – _when they knew…_ By the Gods, this wasn’t how it was meant to be. He didn’t want this. Hecouldn’tlosethemtoo.

A hand on his chest made him start, blurry vision focusing on the short girl standing in front of him. “Tai, you’re hyperventilating.” He was? “You need breathe slow, okay?”

He nodded, slowly, following the guide of the lulling voice as she talked him down from the panic attack until the black edges were gone from his sight and his heart rate had slowed to something normal. When he was able to focus again, it was with the realization that his hands had been pulled from his hair, held securely in Summer’s own. That meant the one rubbing soothing circles in his back had to be-

“Better?” Raven said from somewhere to his right.

He nodded slowly. “Yeah, I’m alright. Thanks.”

Summer ran her thumbs over his knuckles. “Do you want to go back to the room?” It was so kind. So understanding. And he knew if he accepted it, she’d bring him there, no further questions asked.

Exhaustion was creeping into every muscle of his body, his aura and emotions absolutely overtaxed. The temptation to take the offer and hide just a little longer was near impossible to resist. But he steeled himself and said, “No, we should find Qrow.”

The hand on his back left as Raven stepped away and with an upward swipe of her fingers, reality split open into a swirling vortex that could only lead to one person. She looked back at him. “Let’s go then.” And then she stepped on through.

Tai took a steadying breath and followed, one of Summer’s hands still clasped tightly in his own.

* * *

They found him in the gardens, still furious and pacing grooves into the concrete trails that weaved through a cluster of trees. The Amberglows that were originally from the Forever Fall Forest seemed to almost mimic the huntsman’s emotions with their vibrant scarlet shades. If Tai had felt up for it, he may have even joked at the way Qrow _glow_ ered at him the second he stepped through the portal. That was something he was supposed to do; he was the teammate that made terrible jokes when the air was getting too tense. Yet, he couldn’t even find it in him to say anything, especially when the other’s sharp words struck at him, “What the hell do you want?”

He felt the lightest squeeze before Summer was letting his hand go, stepping forward and taking control. “Okay, now just wait a minute Qrow. I don’t know what happened to make you so angry, but let’s dial it down a notch so we can talk about this like normal adults.”

“Talk?” He scoffed, nails scratching harshly over his scalp as he started to pace again, twisting around his sister when she stood in his way. “You want to talk? Okay. Yeah. Let’s fucking start with how he,” He jabbed his thumb towards Tai, “Has been lying to us for _three_ years.” Abruptly, Qrow whirled on him. “I mean I can’t believe you! After everything I told you, about the tribe, about- about, you just- and to use your semblance on me! Without my permission! How fucking _dare_ you.”

The reactions were immediate. Raven’s eyes widened marginally, before they narrowed just as quickly, the stare she aimed him with stabbing right into his heart.

“Wait, what?” The confused woundedness of Summer’s tone managed to make more of his heart break and his chest hurt so much he wasn’t entirely sure he wasn’t on the verge of another panic attack.

“I…” Tai started and faltered, the rest of his words choking in his throat.

“Well!? Are you going to make me tell them?” Qrow just seemed to be getting angrier and angrier and while he normally could handle that – they’d fought like the worst of enemies when they’d first met – it was the _familiarity_ of it all that threatened to make his knees buckle. “I didn’t think you were a coward Tai. Then again, maybe I don’t know you at all.”

The words made him feel like he had been smacked. He found his voice, cracking and weak, “I’m not!” Except, even as he said that, it was just more lies. While he could face a horde of Grimm and never bat an eyelash, when it came to being true to himself with his team, he was the most spineless of them all.

And maybe, weary as he was with everything, Tai was most weary of himself, because when Qrow spread his arms and challenged him to: “Prove it then”, all he wanted to do was exactly that. So, in a move that he wasn’t entirely thinking out because he was shot to the core in every physical, mental and emotional way possible, he shifted his stance and slammed his left foot down on the concrete.

Immediately, his semblance flickered to life as rings of blue lit up the area, disappearing far into the gardens as it covered nearly a full acre of land. The girls gave shocked exclamations and even Qrow seemed taken by surprised as he stumbled back some.

Tai’s steady tone was an odd contrast to his trembling fists as he said, “Raven, Summer. Try to use your semblances.”

With trepidation all over her face, Raven moved first, swinging her hand slowly and then, when nothing happened, started to cut the air a few times in sharp patterns. Summer watched her quietly, before lifting her own hand towards some of the leaves at her feet. When her breeze didn’t call to move them, she concluded matter-of-factly, “You can stop semblances.”

“Yeah.” Tai said, swallowing thickly as he let the rings disappear. “I can.”

“And,” That straightforward tone continued, “You’ve been using your semblance on Qrow this whole time. To stop his bad luck. Without telling us.”

This time, it was harder as his voice broke, “Y-Yeah. I have.”

Summer stared at him, then slowly turned to face Qrow. “And you’re mad about this.”

“Yes!”

She rose her hands up, then chopped them right back down, her voice rising an octave. “You’re **_mad_** that someone in this world exists who can stop your bad luck!? Something you felt so insecure about you slept on the roof for three months?!”

“I, well,” That caught him off guard, astonishment seeming to undo some of the tension as realization really hit home. “Well, no! I’m mad he didn’t say anything! That he didn’t trust us!”

Their leader waved back towards Tai, yelling now, “THEN ASK HIM WHY YOU ABSOLUTE DONKEY!”

“It’s a jackass, Summer.” Raven corrected, sounding almost amused.

“That too!” She pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing loudly. “Seriously, it took nine months before you two told us about your crazy ‘kill all huntsman’ plot. And I didn’t tell you guys about my weird heritage until second year. So why isn’t it fair for Tai to hide something too?” She shot Qrow down with a stare so burning Tai was a little worried the gardens might catch fire. “That’s a little hypocritical, don’t you think?”

“I, well but, he, I-” Qrow spluttered uselessly, their whirlwind of a leader having blown out all the fight in him. Watching the proceedings with a satisfied gleam to her eyes, Raven hid her laughter behind her hand.

And Tai.

Tai just.

He sunk to his knees in relief, wanting to cry he was so happy.

They didn’t hate him.

They weren’t scared of him.

One of his teammates caught the movement. “Tai?” He wasn’t actually sure who it was who spoke, all he heard was the concern, the worry, the love.

A tone that told him they weren’t going to throw him away.

He couldn’t stop smiling, even as his overstrained aura finally decided to give up on him and short-circuit.

He toppled forward.

Everything went black.

* * *

Tai awoke to the gentle drum of chatter, though the sleepiness hadn’t quite faded enough for him to understand the words before the front door was clicking shut. At first, he thought he was alone, until he heard a sigh and soft footsteps padded across the floor, the springs of the bed to his left creaking as it’s owner climbed into it. He laid there, debating heavily on whether he really wanted to get up or not, but as the minutes passed, the occasional movement enough to stir him out of each attempt, he finally peeled his eyes open.

The curtains were open, bathing the room in a dusky orange glow. There were signs of Summer and Raven having just been there, open books strewn over their beds showing they’d been in the middle of doing homework. If he had to guess, they were probably off to the cafeteria for dinner. The idea made his own stomach grumble a bit and he wondered why they didn’t wake him from his nap. A disgruntled noise made him turn his head.

“Qrow?” He croaked out.

His friend lifted his head from where he had it buried into his pillow, sitting up quickly. “Tai? How are you feeling?”

At first, he couldn’t understand why he was asking, until he tried to sit up and his entire body screamed in protest. Then it all came rushing back.

“Buddy?”

Tai ran a hand over his mouth, taking a deep breath. “I’m – I don’t know.” He glanced back at his teammate cautiously. “How are you?”

“Not pissed off anymore.” He told him, getting to his feet.

Tai watched him cross the room to one of the desks where their tea set was sitting on the dust-powered burner, before lowering his head as he tried to think of what to say. An apology just didn’t seem like enough. Even if things were okay and his friends didn’t hate him… how was he supposed to fix three years of damage in a few words? He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn’t hear Qrow come back over until a teacup was shoved under his chin. He took it quietly, the soothing warmth seeping into his hands. The honey sweetened chamomile did wonders for his parched and aching throat as he sipped on it.

“Raven told me you had a panic attack.” Qrow wasn’t looking at him, the frown on his face heavily pronounced. “Sorry.” It was hard to tell if he was apologizing for not being there for him or feeling like he had caused it; though, knowing Qrow’s guilty tendencies – knowing them _intimately_ now – he’d bet more lien on the latter.

Finally, he said, “That’s not your fault.”

“I flip out on you and you have an attack immediately after. Yeah, totally not seeing a correlation there.” He quipped back sarcastically. Well, at least Tai could buy that invisible skateboard he’d been eyeing.

To be honest, beyond being overwhelmed in the moment, Tai wasn’t sure what had caused it because it certainly didn’t fit the pattern he was used to. He’d only had two with his team before – both last year. The first time was on a Grimm hunting mission, in which they’d gotten trapped in a cave-in. Once he’d managed to explain, between gasps, what was happening, it was Qrow who kept his scroll running for him, letting the battery die even well after the bout had passed. The second time was on a retrieval mission to find someone who was said to be lost in an abandoned asylum. He had been pushing through it, not realizing the further down they went and the more bricked up windows they passed, that his breaths were getting shorter and shorter until Raven was yanking him down to the floor. She forced him to hold onto one of her fire dust crystals until his chest didn’t feel so tight anymore.

He shifted some, crossing his legs to make room as the other joined him on the bed. He fingered the rim of his cup, staring down at his reflection in the dark liquid. “Even if you did spark it – which you didn’t – it doesn’t matter. You have a right to be angry Qrow. You were right. It was wrong of me to hide it. To use my semblance on you without you knowing.” Tai looked up at him. “I’m- …I’m really, really sorry.”

When Qrow shook his head, he thought at first he was rejecting the apology, until he spoke, “It wasn’t that. I mean, yeah it was kind of messed up but, it wasn’t like you were trying to hurt me; you were just being your stupidly helpful self. And-” He rubbed the back of his head, “If anyone should get not feeling all that confidant about your semblance then that shoulda been me, you know?”

Tai waited a few beats, knowing that wasn’t all of it, and was rewarded when Qrow eventually shifted, drawing up one leg to his chest, curling an arm over it. Hunched over like that, it made him look smaller somehow. “I guess, what really got to me was that… I thought it was getting better you know? That I was somehow getting more control over it even if I didn’t know how. So finding out it’s been you this whole time just… I just feel so disappointed.” He pressed his forehead into the crook of his elbow, whispering, “It’s never gonna get any better, is it?”

Seeing just how dejected Qrow looked, like the world had just given him a little bit of hope before cruelly tugging it away forever, and knowing _he_ had caused that feeling, Tai felt disgusted with himself. Why hadn’t he thought of this? He was such a fucking idiot!

The tea was set on their shared nightstand and Tai pushed aside the covers so he could move over to where Qrow was, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Qrow, I’m so sorry. I never intended you to feel like this. I…” His words caught over a hitched breath and he looked away. How could he even begin make up for something like this?

A sudden grip on his wrist brought back his focus. “Yeah, I know you didn’t. You’re too thickheaded to be malicious. Not to mention all that softheartedness was almost annoying to feel, you know?” Wait, what? His friend had uncurled again, smiling wryly at his befuddlement. “You didn’t happen to forget you and me were one person for a few minutes, didcha?”

Tai felt his face heat some. With everything else that had gone on, he kind of had. The hold on his wrist tightened minutely.

“I was caught up by myself at the time but, I felt how scared you were, right there at the end. And I’m not talking ‘scared of the Grimm in the closet’ kind of fear. I’m talking like, ‘I’m about to _die_ ’ kind of fear.” Qrow was eyeing him steadily, as if he was a puzzle he was trying to put together. “Thing I don’t get is, why? What the fuck happened that made that sort of feeling even need to exist?”

Tai settled back some, letting his hands fall into his lap when he was given his right back. “You really want to know?”

“If you want to talk, I’ll listen.”

The longer he sat and debated on if he wanted to, the less it made sense not to. It wasn’t like Qrow was a stranger to bad childhoods and anyways, it was worth telling if it helped to make things better between them. With that in mind, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, getting more comfortable, and began to speak.

* * *

On the western coast of Anima, there was a small, seafaring village called Shén-Guāng, or God’s Light, named appropriately by the religious settlers who had founded it many centuries ago. Though it was known for very little in terms of accomplishments, the townsfolk had kept to its roots, teaching its children and their children the Light God’s blessings and of His expectations in the world He had so graciously bestowed upon them. And in that village, a modest, well-respected family lived known as the Xiao Longs. The husband of the household was stern in his ways but wise in his teachings and the wife was kind to all and especially gentle with her family. They had two children. Their first born, a boy whom they aspired to carry their family name well, they had named Fai-Chung, for first, wise child. Their second, also a boy who had his mother’s golden locks, they had named Taiyang, after the Light God’s great sun.

The name for their second born found itself to be most appropriate, as Taiyang was an energetic and eager child. As was expected of many his age, he attended to the temple regularly, sang all his hymens and spoke all his prayers. He was respectful to all the elders and friendly with his peers. In class, he was quick-learned and in sparring practices, quick-witted. Many said he seemed to be as bright as the sun itself, and they would often tell the elder Xiao Longs how they hoped such a name also gave him a bright future.

And then, when he was nine, Taiyang discovered his semblance and his life changed forever.

It had happened one day at school, during a routine Grimm raid preparation exam. Tai was weaving around the grass field often used for training exercises, sweat on his brow as arrows from the automatic crossbows shot at him from every direction. That was hard enough to keep up with, if not for his teacher’s ability to make the ground underneath him melt into a substance that was as slippery as ice. For the seventh time, he found himself trying to dodge and hitting the dirt when his feet slid out from underneath him. He panted as he stared up at the sky, his muscles burning from exertion.

“Come on Xiao Long! Get back up!” His teacher called. Tai turned on his stomach, limbs flailing a bit when it took a few tries to get his bearings, and then up he was – only for an arrow to come flying right for his head. He yelped, twisting sideways and feeling his legs buckle once more and all he could think was how much he just needed his teacher’s semblance to _stop_.

Blue lit up the area as he landed on his hands and knees and the ground underneath him was solid once more. There was a ricochet of surprised shouts making him lift his head, seeing the rings spreading across the entirety of the field and beyond.

“H-Hey, what happened? I can’t float anymore!”

“Where’d my double go?”

“What did he do?! My semblance is just off!”

“Mine too! Chen, can you use yours?”

“I’ll try!”

It didn’t take long for each classmate to follow suit and each story was the same. No matter the semblance, no matter the age, no matter the aura level, none of them could conjure their powers. All of them were gone. At first, it was a frenzy of angry, terrified shouts and then Tai was being lifted roughly by his teacher, shaken and screamed at until the terror he felt broke his concentration enough that the rings disappeared. With them, the powers came back, and it seemed like things were going to be okay.

But after that day, nothing was ever the same.

The news spread fast in a small town, and by the time he was home, his family already knew. His mother devastated, crying into her hands and saying prayers to God. His brother wary, staring at him from the top steps. His father furious, taking his arm in a bruising grip and throwing him into the shed out back, shouting things that didn’t make sense. How he was a heathen forsaken to them. A sinful hellion that couldn’t possibly be his son.

He was never allowed into the house after that. He was fed, but only table scraps and moldy remains. He couldn’t go back to temple and though he was granted school, it felt even more isolated then his shed. No one would sit with him at lunch. The students would move their desks as far from him as they could – if the teacher let him in the classroom, that is. Otherwise he was forced to sit underneath the window outside and listen in.

Tai hadn’t understood.

What had he done wrong?

It would be several weeks before he’d find out.

“Fai, why does everyone hate me now?” Tai whimpered from where he sat in the corner of his shed. His clothes were a mess of dirt, oil and food; several people on the street had started throwing stuff at him, screaming obscenities even as he tried to run away.

“You don’t get it, do you?” Fai replied, peering in at him from the window. “You’re a bad omen.”

“What?” He wiped away some of his tears. “But why?”

“Your semblance. It’s not designed to hurt Grimm. It’s designed to hurt people. Everyone’s talking about how the God of Darkness must have brought you here to destroy us.”

“I’d never do that!” He got to his feet, confused when his brother jerked back and disappeared. Confused that he was _scared_ of him. “No don’t leave! Fai!”

But his brother never did come back. Nor did his father. He only regularly saw his mother when she came to give him his meals and she spoke not a word to him. For months, he sat at the door and cried for them, begged for them to let him inside but every time he was ignored. Eventually, he turned to his God and prayed for forgiveness. He asked to be cleansed. To be reborn. To be granted a place in the Beyond once more. And, when they all failed, to have his life forfeited.

Even that went unheard.

He was able to finish fifth grade, but after that, no one would re-enroll him and for the next three years after, the shed became his only home. Sometimes, his brother would lead his friends to throw stones at the walls or he’d hear them jeering at him. More than once the window was broken and eventually left unfixed, his only light boarded up instead.

One day during summer, when he was eleven and certain his family was at temple, he tried escaping. But weakened from lack of nutrition and exercise as he was, he didn’t make it far. His dad found him hiding in an alley. Tai was dragged to the center of town, stripped down to his underwear and forced to lay on the blazing hot concrete for hours while his dad proclaimed his outlandish crimes to the citizens. He was blamed for everything; the lack of rain, the movement of Grimm, the death of a sickened child. Anything that could be pinned on him, was.

He never tried to leave again.

Blessedly, it all ended a few days before he turned thirteen.

His mom walked in, a lantern swinging from one hand, a plate in the other. Tai watched her from where he sat, curled up in the corner of his shed, the rags he’d been given his only blankets against the night’s chill. She had grown waxen and thin over the years. He’d heard snatches of things; of her losing her job. Of how, when they tried to replace him with a new child, she’d miscarried and ever since was consistently ill. And of course, how it was because of him. That he left poison in her body when he was in her womb and that it was finally setting in.

He didn’t move and she didn’t speak as she laid the plate down on the floor. But, for the first time ever, as she made to leave, she paused and looked back at him. Her blue eyes had many more wrinkles around them and he missed desperately when they used to hold light and love for him. They didn’t, even now, and they probably never would again. When she started to walk forward, Tai buried his head in his knees and waited. Yet, when no blows came and instead a hand dropped to his filthy, messy hair, the gesture almost caring, he wasn’t sure what to do.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered to him.

He was too scared to look up.

She left again.

He wasn’t sure, and never would be sure, if she was apologizing for everything he had been put through, or simply what would happen next.

* * *

“That last dinner was laced with drugs. It knocked me out.” Tai had taken to lying across the short side of his bed at some point, legs dangling over the edge. He stared at the ceiling, feeling weirdly detached from himself as he continued to drone on, “I woke up on a boat, but not as a passenger. I was in the cargo bay. Someone had locked me in a metal crate and I didn’t have any strength to get out by myself. It took forever before someone heard me yelling for help.” He shut his eyes, a shiver working its way up his spine, not mentioning the hours he spent thinking he had been buried alive. “That’s why I lose it when things are completely dark. It’s just too much of a reminder of… everything.”

Qrow, who had sprawled out beside him, had his fingers laced over his ribs, thumbs tapping together idly. “Gotta say, out of all the awful shit I’ve heard in my life, a town lynching a little kid definitely ranks in the top three.”

He furrowed his brows. “I never got lynched.”

“Close enough.” His friend had that deceptively calm tone that told him he was actually infuriated. Tai had heard it a ton of times before when Qrow would get all up in arms about Atlas’ political propaganda.

“Anyway,” He said. “That’s the story, more or less.”

“More or less?”

He scratched his chin, sheepish as he said, “I skipped the part where I found out that there was no visual cue if I focused my semblance on one person at a time. When I was really angry about everything going on, I decided to hide out of sight in the training fields and used that to mess with the other kids. Then I spread rumors about how I had a ghost that could infect them if they didn’t keep out of my way.”

His friend barked out a laugh. “I was wondering where the prankster side of you had come from.”

“It made things a little more peaceful at least; though, I’m pretty sure that’s why I wasn’t allowed back at school.”

“Why didn’t you keep using that?”

“Huh?”

“I mean,” Qrow turned his head towards him, “Weren’t you mad as hell once you got out of there? What stopped you from using your semblance to just start going on some sort of rampage or whatever?”

Tai frowned, looking back at him. “’Course I was mad but if I did that, then I’d just be proving everyone right. That my purpose on this world is to hurt people. I never wanted that. So, I decided to say fuck ‘em and found a way to prove them wrong.”

Red eyes widened marginally with understanding. “That’s why you joined Beacon.”

He gave a nod, smiling, “Yeah. It is.” He let his eyes fall shut. “And when I got partnered with you and you told me about your semblance, I remember thinking ‘oh hey, I can do something about that!’ I was so damn happy, because I felt I was doing something right for once.” The smile fell as did his tone, “Guess I screwed that up big time though.”

He almost jerked back when he was flicked on the forehead. Tai rubbed the spot, frowning at Qrow who didn’t seem the least bit sorry. “Tai. Listen to me and don’t forget it, because knowing my unsentimental ass I’ll never find the nerve to repeat it.” His friend took a breath, bracing himself for whatever he was about to get off his chest, and then said, “You’re my best friend.”

Tai tried to stay straight-faced for about a half-second but couldn’t help it as he snorted, turning his head away and covering his mouth to contain himself.

“What’s so funny?!”

It was hard to talk when he could barely find a breath around his laughs. “It’s just – hahahaha! – you made it sound like you were about to give me some grand declaration!”

“Shut up man! I wasn’t done!” Qrow said, slapping him on the shoulder a few times.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” By the time he managed to get ahold of himself, his stomach muscles were hurting a bit. He waved at the other, grinning, “Go on.”

“Jackass.” He grumbled, turning on his side and offering him a sharp jab in the ribs with his forefinger. “What I mean is, just because you might screw up sometimes and make me want to punch your face in, doesn’t mean I stopped appreciating having you in my life.” _That_ washed out his amusement instantly and flooded him with a pleasant warmth instead. “And while I’m the kind of guy to doubt whether the sky is really blue or not, I don’t doubt that it’s the same for you. So yeah, maybe we’ll fight over shit every now and again – because it wouldn’t be us if we didn’t – but no matter what, at the end of the day, I always got your back just as much as you’ve got mine.” He held up his fist, “Got that?”

Tai reached up, bumping their knuckles together, the smile on his face feeling like it was etched permanently there. “Yeah. Won’t forget it.”

“Good.” Qrow said, pushing his hand aside and rolling out of bed. “Alright, don’t know about you but I’m starving and if we get any more saccharine in here, I’m not going to want dessert.”

The mention of food was like a signal to his stomach as it gurgled unhappily. “Yeah, sounds like a plan to me.” While his friend grabbed his jacket, Tai got the door, shutting it behind them once the other walked out.

And then the handle broke off in his hand, effectively locking them out. He froze, staring down at the brass knob like it had cheated him. “Uhhhh.”

“Oh right.” Qrow, mid-way through pulling his jacket on, looked back at him. “One more thing I meant to tell you.” Tai looked up at him, unsure if he liked the other’s mischievous smile. “You can keep using your semblance to stop mine, if you want. But if you don’t, then you have to take responsibility for everything that happens when we’re together.” He started down the hall, waving a hand back towards him, “Starting with that!”

“What?! That’s blackmail!” Though Tai pretended to sound outraged, he couldn’t help but grin as Qrow’s amused laughter drifted after him.

Chuckling himself, he tossed the doorknob over his shoulder and hurried to catch up.

**Author's Note:**

> So, while this wasn't my first thought for Tai's semblance (I have something in mind that's way more fitting, but that's for another story to tell), I thought of this idea out of the blue and thought: 'What if Tai had it and was helping stop Qrow's?' hence this story was born and I ran with it. 
> 
> P.S. The title is a pun of Seize the Day.


End file.
